Mark Martin was first as the Chase started after winning four races in the 2009 season. He went on to win the first race in the chase at New Hampshire. So of you may be wondering, who cares? What if I told you that Mark Martin is 50 years old and that 2009 is his first full season since 2006. In '07 and '08, Martin ran partial seasons and then signed with Rick Hendrick to run a full season this year. It is amazing to watch someone who many thought would retire lead all his competitors. He has been aided by his crew chief Alan Gustafson and the Hendrick Racing Team. The next 9 races are very important to Martin quest for his first title. He is 35 points ahead of 3 time defending champion Jimmie Johnson and Chesterfield, Virginia native Denny Hamlin.
The story that really intrigued me this weekend was Bobby Labonte. Labonte won the title in 2000 and is currently ranked #29 in the Sprint Cup standings. He has finished fifth once this season and sixth once, leading less than 20 laps in total for the season. His average finish is 25th. His two best seasons were 1999 and 2000 and has not been a top tier driver since. So you may be wondering why I would be talking about someone who has no real impact on NASCAR. Labonte qualified 8th for this past weekend's race and was excited for his chance to compete. But his team, TRG Motorsports, did not have the funding to compete in the race. Without funding Labonte would be able to start the race but could not reasonably finish. So his team went looking for money and in the two days before the race TRG was able to find funding from four northeast companies and raced all 300 laps. Labonte finished 22nd but that is not the point. In a time of financial constrictions, Labonte was able to find the needed finances to run. This shows me that NASCAR is on the right track and that people really want to see the underdog get a chance.
While Labonte was able to race because of sponsorships, two major sponsors have pulled out of NASCAR in the last couple of months...Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. As an avid bourbon and whiskey drinker and a NASCAR fan, I am sorry to see these sponsorships go. It is not the drinker in me that is saddened but the NASCAR fan that is. I hope that all the teams are able to find sponsors. I don't want drivers and teams who have worked hard and succeeded be hamstrung because the lack of sponsorship. Crown Royal has signed a multi-year deal with Roush Fenway Racing to sponsor Matt Kenseth's #17 car. So as big teams (Hendrick, Roush, Childress, Petty, Gibbs) get stronger the small teams are struggling to just get sponsors. I see the story about Bobby Labonte as a sign that NASCAR and its sponsors will keep this sport going for its fans.
Stay tuned to Dover for next week's race...
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